Are You Ready
by chem chick
Summary: Are you ever ready for anything life throws at you? The aftermath of the final battle...First fanfic, so please let me know what you think!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or anyone else for that matter. Just borrowing them for my story!

Are You Ready?

Ch.1: Ready

They were ready.

The time had come. Tomorrow they would strike. Tomorrow they would make their stand against all that was evil in this world. Naraku had absorbed all of his offspring and retreated to his castle along with the majority of the Shikon jewel. The group knew that he was planning his attempt to retrieve the final few shards that they had managed to collect. They had decided that the time to defeat him once and for all, or die trying, was now. Tomorrow they would bring the fight to him.

They were ready. It had been eight years since the day that fate had torn Kagome from her normal life as a fifteen-year old student and changed her life forever. They had all grown up, and had become a family unto themselves. Eight long years they had been fighting the legions of youkai crawling the earth in feudal Japan. Eight years they had battled Naraku and his minions, fighting over the shards of the sacred Shikon no Tama. They were weary from their battles and old beyond their years. They had seen much that no eyes should have ever witnessed, much less eyes as young as theirs. Still, they traveled on, as was the duty that they had accepted. It was hard work, physically and emotionally grueling, but each knew that this was task bigger than just themselves as individuals. They knew that should they fail in their task, they would not only die, but also condemn all other humans and peaceful youkai that walked the earth to a fate worse than death, a world under the control of Naraku.

Kagome was now twenty-three years old. She had finished high school, and was about to start college when Kaede was killed. Naraku had sent a demon to kill Kagome. Kaede had defended her and killed the demon with a purified arrow, but right before it struck, the demon had begun the charge her. It leaped into the air, claws extended. As the arrow pierced its heart and it died, it landed atop Kaede, its claws piercing her heart as well. Kagome had run to her mentor, tears streaming down her cheeks as she knelt down by Kaede. She held the old woman's hand as the life poured out of her. Kaede looked at her, and with a smile on her face, knowing that Kagome still lived, passed from this world.

Kagome returned to her time to withdraw from school and tell her family that she loved them, and would see them again when they defeated Naraku, or in the event that they did not, in heaven.

Five years she had not seen her mother, brother, or grandfather. But she had long ago gotten over her heartache and homesickness. She knew that the task she was about to embark on was far greater than anything else.

They left the village and went out into the world, Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara. The group of six pulled in on themselves, becoming a finely tuned fighting machine. They were able to sense each other now, and fight in sync. They traveled by day and made camp wherever they could, no longer relying on anyone else. They were determined to work together in everything that they did, and rely only on themselves. If they could not stay alive now, surely they would fall quickly to Naraku.

Kagome had trained everyday since Kaede's death, determined to be as strong as she possibly could, and determined to have complete control over her miko powers. She was soon able to do this, and had also become quite proficient with a sword as well as her bow. But still, she was able to sense that far greater power was in her. She did not know how she knew this, or if it was actually true, but deep down in her heart she knew she was capable of much more.

Kagome was still in love with Inuyasha, but the love had grown from a selfish teenage puppy love to a deep love that filled every cell of her body with the feeling. She still hadn't told him, of course. She _knew_ that Inuyasha still loved Kikyo, even if he hadn't seen her in years, let alone even spoken her name. She loved Inuyasha with such a pure love that she would let him decide if he wanted her, and when. She no longer felt the need to push him, even if it did cause her heart to break a little everyday that he did not confess his love for her. She told herself that she didn't feel it. She knew this was the right thing to do and she would live with the choices that she made. She had long ago pulled the restraining rosary from his neck. She trusted him fully and felt that he did not deserve to live as though she didn't.

Inuyasha trained daily with Tetsusaiga. Over the years he was finally able to use each of his swords attacks at will. He had also worked on his hand-to-hand combat. It had taken a long time to convince him, but after a particularly nasty fight with a serpent demon, and the three-day recovery period after, he agreed to begin meditation practice with Miroku. These sessions had a major impact on Inuyasha, and his personality. He was no longer the foul-mouthed youth that they had met. He was now a quiet hanyou, no longer prone to hurtful outbursts and thoughtless attacks in battle. He thought before he spoke, and knew his limitations in a fight.

Inuyasha had come to the realization that he was in love with Kagome. She had slowly infiltrated his dreams, where he professed his love and she readily returned it. He had begun to look forward to the evenings when he could meet her in his sleep. He dreaded the mornings, when her image slowly faded from his arms and he had to come back to the reality that he lived in. He had long ago given up on any hope of a relationship with Kagome. She had long ago pulled away from him, although he did not know why. He often wondered, and thought perhaps that he had done something to wrong her, but he was afraid to ask. For now, he treasured the friendship that they shared, and loved her deeply, with all of his heart, in his dreams.

Sango had long since mastered her weapon, Hirakotsu, but longed to master other disciplines. She practiced hand-to-hand combat with Inuyasha. She fashioned herself a staff of wood and practiced with Miroku. While she did not have the healing powers of Kagome, she had learned from the young miko how to pick herbs and make the necessary concoctions. She trained long and hard every day, determined to be better every night when she lay her head down. She had long ago decided to do whatever it took to save Kohaku, even if that meant death for him. She would allow him to remain in the service of Naraku no longer. However, as the years passed by, her anger dulled. She trained as hard as she did as a way to concentrate her thoughts on her brother.

However, her thoughts were continually pulled towards a certain monk, and this upset her. She couldn't help it, but she felt that she was betraying her brother at the same time. She never expressed these thoughts and feeling to anyone, especially Miroku. She did not even confide in Kagome. She kept these emotions tightly bottled up inside of her, determined not to ruin the friendship she had made, or at least this is what she told herself. There was no time for romance in times like these. But she often thought about what it would be like to be held by him, and know that he loved her as she had grown to love him.

Miroku trained with the group everyday. He spent much of his time writing new scrolls, determined to make them more and more powerful. He had many now that were capable of killing large demons with a single application. He also worked out with Inuyasha, becoming physically stronger than ever before. All in all, he had become an imposing figure, quite confidant in battle.

While he led Inuyasha in meditation practices, he found that the student was surpassing the master. While Inuyasha was perfecting his techniques, a certain demon slayer was in his thoughts more and more. He had known long ago that this was a special woman, but he never thought that he deserved such a caring, lovely person. And he knew that she did not want him. They had been traveling alone for so long that he had long outgrown the need to proposition young women he met along the way. But he also made no move on Sango because he was not sure of what his feelings were for her, and did not want to ruin their friendship if she did not love him, or he realized he did not love her as he had thought. Mostly, he was scared. Deep down he knew that he loved her, and these feelings scared him to the core of his being. He had never felt this way about anyone, and was completely unsure of how to handle it.

Shippou had grown into a handsome young man. He had come to look upon Inuyasha as a real role model and worked with him daily on his demon skills. Shippou had also learned how to change into his demon form, which had ended up being a fox as large as Kirara. In this form he had become a great ally to the group and a formidable enemy for any evil demons that passed their way.

Unbeknownst to the group, he was able to converse freely with Kirara in his fox demon form. They had grown quite close to her over the years. They often discussed the antics of the humans in the group because they knew how each felt about each other and were waiting to see what happened. They had at one time thought about intervening, but decided it was best it nature took its course.

So they had trained for the past five years, unwavering, unwilling to give up when their bodies ached and they wanted nothing more than to collapse to the ground and never get up again. They had given up so much for this moment, and they were ready. Ready to fight, but also ready to be done with it. They were tired. They wanted it done. They wanted to win.

They were ready.


	2. Ch2 Revelations

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or anyone else for that matter. Just borrowing them for my story!

Ch.2: Revelations

The sun was low on the horizon, throwing golden rays on her already perfect skin. She appeared to glow, standing there on the hill, gazing into the sky. Her hair, still long and black, was raised up into the air by the wind, but to Inuyasha, it seemed much more than that. Kagome had a supernatural look to her, as if she belonged somewhere better than this sorry place. He wanted so much to pull her in his arms, like he did every night in his dreams, but he was too afraid that unlike his dreams, she would pull away. He watched for a moment more, then turned and walked away.

She turned and saw him as he was walking away from her. She wanted desperately to run after him, to run to his arms, to feel him near. She watched as the sun lit up his long silver hair. The wind lifted it into the air, and the leaves of nearby trees swirled around him. Her angel. He moved with a grace that was not of this world. How she loved him.

He felt her looking at him, and as hard as he tried not to, he could not stop his own eyes from meeting hers. They stared at each other, both in awe and wonder at the beauty and power of each other. Time seemed to pause as they stood still as stone, statues on a hill, bathed in the last rays of the sun as it disappeared under the horizon.

With this, the spell was broken. They remained a moment, unsure of how to proceed. They had seen the emotions in each other's eyes. Tomorrow was the end of their battles. But what if it was the end, period? Is it better to love than not at all? Or save yourself the pain?

Kagome looked away first, glancing back at the sky behind her. Inuyasha turned and ran toward the camp they had set up in a small abandoned village. He went a hut, lay down on his mat, and stared at the ceiling. Kagome began her slow walk toward camp. If this was to be her last night alive, she was going to enjoy every moment of it. But it wasn't a very good walk, as her thoughts turned toward Inuyasha more and more with each step.

Miroku sat in a beautiful clearing he had found not far from camp. With its thick ring of trees, it was quite private and peaceful. He lay on the ground staring at the sky as it slowly turned a darker hue and stars began to appear. He watched in awe, as the tiny dots seemingly appeared one by one to his eyes. He closed them and saw Sango. On this night of all nights, he could not stop thinking about her. He wanted so much to tell her he loved her. He looked down at his rosary-covered hand. Could he tell her? Would it be fair? He had this hole in his hand, and unless they defeated Naraku, it would stay and eventually kill him. How could he tell her how he felt if it was all for nothing? He couldn't do that to her. He decided that he loved her so much her would spare her that heartache, as he felt in his own heart that he did not have much time. He couldn't say why, but he knew deep down that his end was near.

Sango stood at the edge of the clearing, watching the monk as he lay on the ground. He appeared to be sleeping, so she quietly approached him. She thought that he was dreaming; she could see his eyes moving beneath his eyelids. It did not seem to be a good dream, however, as she saw the saddest look on his face. Before she knew it, she could feel tears sliding slowly down her cheeks. She could not bear to see the man she had come to love with such a heartbreaking expression on his face. She carefully knelt down beside him. She tentatively reached out and brushed an errant strand of hair from his face.

_Is it her?_ He thought. He didn't know what to do. For a moment he just lay there, reveling in the feel of her smooth fingertips on his skin. Then he felt something wet hit his lip. It tasted salty, and he opened his eyes to see his Sango kneeling over him, silently crying, the shimmering drops gathering at the bottom of her eyes, then spilling out, slowly rolling down her face. They gathered at her chin and dropped onto his face once more.

He slowly raised his hand and brushed away a new tear making its journey down her face, beautiful in the moonlight, even as she wept.

She started at his touch. His fingers felt so tender and soft on her cheek. Her voice caught in her throat. She had never felt like this before. His touch sent sparks down her spine, and she feared that she might burst into a million pieces at his simple caress.

She knew then how he felt. She knew that he loved her with all his being, as she loved him. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw his large violet eyes looking back, a concerned look on his face.

"Sango...why do you cry? What's the matter?"

"I'm sorry, Houshi-sama. I saw you here and..."

"What? What is it? You can tell me, Sango."

"You looked so sad...I couldn't stand to see you that way...my heart felt like it was going to break."

He looked at her. "You have seen me sad before. Why is it different?"

She looked at him, fresh tears welling in her eyes.

"It is different because...because this time someone I...someone I...love is sad." She continued to look at the ground, tears splashing on her legs.

She felt his hand come up to her face and tuck a long black strand behind her ear.

Before he knew what he was doing, he leaned over and captured her lips with his. He kissed her with all his soul, desperately trying to convey the love that he felt for her into that one perfect kiss. He raised his hands to gently cup her face, memorizing the curve of her cheek, the softness of her skin. He then pulled away from her slowly and waited for her to open her eyes.

"Sango...I'm sorry." He looked down at his lap.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Houshi-sama. I should have told you earlier, so long ago..."

"But I do. Sango, I...we...we cannot be."

She looked up sharply, a desperate look on her face.

"But? Why? Houshi-sama, please...I can't help how I feel. I...I love you."

"If we start something now, and the worst happens tomorrow, if I left you alone, I couldn't bear it."

"If we start something now, we would have each other, and that would be something. That would be enough for me," she cried.

"I cannot do that to you. I..." he stammered, "I could never hurt you so."

"But don't you see? To not have you at all would be far worse than not having you at all," she said, tears freely streaming down her face.

"You may think that now, but I think that in the long run this is best." Tears were falling to his robes as he slowly stood.

"Perhaps when this is over, if we are both alive, then..." he stopped. All he heard is the sound of her weeping and it broke his heart. "Sango, you know how I feel. But I cannot say it. If I were to, I would not have the willpower to do what I must." With this, he turned and walked away, his form disappearing into the trees.

Sango curled into a ball and sobbed until she had no more tears. She stood, and brushing off her kimono, started her journey back to camp.

Inuyasha lay on his mat with his eyes closed, but not sleeping, when he sensed her. He turned his head to look at the doorway.

She stood there, back lit by the fire in the middle of the camp. She wore a nightgown from her time, the gauzy white fabric swirling around her, pink ribbons fluttering in the air. Her hair was down, gently swaying in the nighttime breeze. She was a vision. She started to walk towards him.

InuYasha sat up, a questioning look in his eyes. _Am I dreaming?_ He thought. She had reached the bed and sat beside him. She slowly reached out a slender hand and laid it on top his. She looked into his eyes. He was frozen. She raised her other hand and traced the line of his jaw.

He raised his clawed hand and gently stroked her cheek. He ran his fingers through her beautiful hair, wondering at the silkiness of it.

He looked at her and felt the emotions swirling around them as if they were tangible threads weaving around them. It seemed as if the entire world had faded away, leaving them alone in their small hut. They could hear nothing but the sound of their hearts.

He cupped her face in his other hand, and she leaned into his touch. He smoothed back the hair from her forehead. She looked at him, eyes shining.

"Inuyasha, I...if this is it, I want you to know that...I love you. I always have." She said, tears threatening to roll down her face.

"Kagome, is this a dream? Are you really here?" He asked, his voice starting to quiver.

"Yes, I am here with you. I am where I belong."

"Oh, Kagome," he said, as he pulled her quickly to him, embracing her with all of his soul, desperately needing to feel her in his arms. She wrapped her arms around neck, and held on as if her life depended on it. She breathed deeply, his hair smelling softly of trees.

She pulled back after what seemed like an eternity, only long enough to place a kiss on his lips. She ran her fingers through his hair. He only held her tighter as he kissed her for the first time. It was like nothing he had ever felt, and he never wanted it to end, but unfortunately, air was a necessity. They looked into each other eyes for a moment.

He placed his hand behind her, and slowly lowered her to the bed. He lay down beside her, and gently smoothed her hair.

"Kagome, I love you. I have for a long time. You've visited me in my dreams every night for so long...I love you so much."

He leaned down for another kiss and her arms circled around him. They were together all night, focusing only on each other and the love they shared, but at the back of each of their thoughts, they were pushing tomorrow as far away as possible.


	3. Ch3 Rainy Day

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or anyone else for that matter. Just borrowing them for my story!

Ch. 3: Rainy Day

Morning came, and with it a bit of fear. They were ready, they knew they were, but still, there was a sense that this was too big, they had bit off more than they could chew. But they were set in their resolve, and would finish what they started, no matter what the cost. They knew going in that they might not all leave.

They sat around the smoldering fire, eating their breakfast of fish caught in the river by Shippou and Kirara earlier that morning. Inuyasha and Kagome sat close, unwilling to lose contact until absolutely necessary. Miroku sat silent in his thoughts, and Sango did the same on the opposite side of the fire.

The sun had not shown its face, and made no move to do so. The skies were dark, with fat clouds full of rain fast approaching. The weather went well with their moods.

They cleaned up their things and began to walk the final leg of their journey. Each member of the group walked in silence, preparing for the upcoming fight.

"I can feel Naraku's dark energy," Kagome said.

"Everyone, be on guard," Inuyasha said. "It is time. We've trained hard for this. We will fight Naraku, and we _will_ defeat him."

They walked up a gently sloping hill, and were suddenly treated to a view of Naraku's castle, sitting on the edge of a cliff. The land in front of the castle was clear and would be good fighting ground. If it weren't for it being a castle owned by one as evil as Naraku, it would be beautiful. The castle itself sat next to a cliff. To the left, the cliff ran about three hundred feet before trees made an appearance. To the right, the trees were thick and began a large ring around the clearing.

They reached the front of the castle, weapons drawn. Kirara and Shippou had transformed into their large demon forms. Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga, fully transformed. Kagome had her bow ready and an arrow nocked in place. Miroku had his staff at the ready, a pile of scrolls in his other hand. Sango held Hirakotsu behind her, ready to throw at a moments notice.

They heard a deep laugh from inside the castle. They heard boards creak, and then he appeared in the doorway. He wore his human form, but his full power was easily felt by all of them. It flowed off of him like waves, and they all felt sick as it hit them.

He laughed again. "The little band of 'warriors', come here to finish me off? What do you think you can do to me? I am invincible. I have almost the entire Shikon jewel, and you are so kind as to bring me the rest." He stopped, and looked at each of them, the determination on their faces. "You really do think that you can stop me, don't you? Fools...you will soon see the error of your thoughts...I am Naraku!" He thundered. "You cannot possibly hope to defeat me!"

With this he attacked the group. His arms lengthened, fast approaching them where they stood. He swung and the group scattered. Kagome let her arrow fly. It screamed toward her enemy, a pink flame starting at the tip and flowing down the length of it. It struck Naraku's arm, separating it from his body. But as it lay disintegrating on the ground, the arm grew again, preparing to strike once more.

Inuyasha saw an opening and attacked. His sword cleaved Naraku's evil appendage at the shoulder. Naraku roared in pain and swung his other arm at the attacking hanyou. Inuyasha sailed through the air and skidded into the ground between Kagome and Naraku. He didn't move.

Kirara and Shippou attacked, both jumping at Naraku and biting ferociously. Naraku's evil energy sprayed out of the wounds, poisoning them. He flung them to the ground. He looked Kagome straight in the eyes as he reached down and snapped Shippou's neck. Kirara attacked him again, weak as she was, and swiped at his chest with her claws. More poison billowed out, and she fell for the last time, succumbing to the choking gas.

"You bastard!" Kagome screamed, letting arrow after arrow go, tearing away chunks of Naraku's body, slowing him, but doing no real damage. She knew she was better than this, but she didn't feel any more power available to her.

Miroku ran at Naraku, staff raised. He threw a scroll at Naraku's face. The scroll hit, and Naraku screamed. He tore it off and looked at the monk in fury.

"You will die for the, monk."

He swung at Miroku, connecting at the monk's arm. There was a snapping noise and Miroku screamed.

Sango looked over. "Houshi! No!" She prepared to throw her boomerang.

"Sister!"

She quickly turned to see Kohaku walk out of the castle. He looked at her, eyes shining with tears.

"Sister! I...I remember you!" he cried.

"Kohaku! Stay where you are! I'm coming for you!" she yelled.

She ran across the clearing towards him when she saw her brother stiffen.

"Sister..." he whispered, a trickle of blood leaving his mouth.

"No! No, Kohaku, wait!" she cried, catching him in her arms as he fell forward. She looked up to see one of Naraku's evil insects carrying away the shard that had kept her brother alive. Naraku put it with his almost fully completed jewel and they combined, leaving a space for the final chip to be added.

She looked down into her brother's eyes. He could barely keep them open and he was now breathing heavily.

"I can see Father...he's standing in front of me," he whispered. A sob escaped her.

"No, Kohaku, don't leave me, you're all I have left, please...please..." She gently rocked his body.

"I'm sorry Sister...I'll be with Father now. He says he forgives me..." With that, a small smile touched his face and then Kohaku died.

"NO!" Sango screamed, facing the dark sky.

She quickly stood and threw Hiraikotsu at Naraku. He lashed out at her, throwing her up and across the clearing.

She fell to the ground twenty feet from Miroku. She looked up to see him get hit in the back. Another snapping noise. _He's too close to the edge_, she thought. A trickle of blood left the corner of his mouth.

He couldn't see. All he could feel was pain. It filled his body. He couldn't stand much longer. His life was steadily flowing out of his wounds.

"Miroku...no..."

He had never heard her call him by his name before. He could hardly breathe, and yet, he felt suddenly free, from pain and sadness. She had said his name.

His vision cleared and he saw Sango, crawling towards him, her left leg broken. She was sobbing, screaming at him to walk toward her. He looked down at her, tears flowing from his eyes. He spoke.

"Sango...I..." He coughed up more blood. "I'm sorry." He stumbled, backwards.

"No! Miroku! Wait..." Sango screamed, as she watched him step back.

"I'm sorry..." he said again, weeping, and she knew what he meant as he looked at her with love in his eyes.

He stumbled once more, and then he fell over the cliff's edge.

"No...no...no!" Sango screamed into the sky. She fell to the ground sobbing. "No...no, Miroku, don't leave me, you can't leave me..."

Kagome let loose another arrow at Naraku. Inuyasha had not yet regained consciousness. She was fighting as hard as she could, but it wasn't enough.

Sango stood up. She had her weight on her right leg, as she couldn't use her left. She glanced around and saw her weapon lodged in a tree across the clearing. She watched Kagome attack Naraku. She saw that it wasn't working. She looked toward the cliff where her love had disappeared before her eyes. Tears streamed down her face. She looked at Kagome and their eyes locked.

"NO!" Kagome yelled.

"I'm sorry, my friend..." Sango whispered. She turned and stumbled toward the edge. She looked back once more at Kagome, and then she stepped off of the cliff's edge. She felt like a feather drifting lightly down to the ground. She looked down and saw Miroku's purple robes on the ground below her. He had fallen into a beautiful meadow, full of flowers. She closed her eyes and knew she would be with him soon.

Kagome stood, tears falling to the ground. She was the only one left standing right now. Inuyasha had begun to stir, but he hadn't gotten up. She felt then that it was hopeless. She lowered her bow.

"You will defeat him," a voice said behind her. Kikyo stood at the edge of the forest. "I now know what to do. Tell Inuyasha that... I hope he is happy someday." With this, she released the dead souls that kept her earthen body alive. She paled, and Kagome could see a faint smile on her face. She suddenly started to glow with radiant light, and a small glowing sphere burst from her chest. Her body crumbled to the ground.

The glowing sphere rushed through the air towards Kagome. It struck her, entering her chest where it had left Kikyo's. The force threw her back into the ground.

Inuyasha opened his eyes. He rolled his head to the side. His Kagome was on the ground. He didn't see Miroku or Sango anywhere. He pushed himself up onto his knees. He saw Kagome stir.

She stood up. She felt different. She suddenly realized that Kikyo had given her back the part of her soul that had been stolen. She looked up at Naraku, the rage visible in her eyes. She knew that she now had the power she had thought herself capable of. She held the final jewel shard in her palm and concentrated. A tiny blue sphere encased it and hovered about her hand. She focused all her purification powers at it, and it burst into blue flames. It rose in the air, until it hovered in front of her face. She looked at it.

"Go."

It sped toward the air at Naraku, so fast that even he could not dodge it. It struck the jewel, instantly completing and purifying it. He screamed it pain, his body writhing. Where it had hit, his body started to turn to dust and disintegrate. He looked up at her.

"NO! You cannot do this to me! I am the powerful Naraku! I do not die by your hand!"

"You killed my friends! Die, you evil bastard!"

"You will pay, miko. You will pay for what you have done!"

Inuyasha had just stood up. He was facing Naraku, and he saw that Naraku was disappearing before his eyes. He turned to see what had caused it. Kagome stood there, her hair whipping around her, her eyes defiant. She was radiant, glowing with magical energy. She had done it. She had killed Naraku. The world was safe. He could take her home, and be with her forever. He started to walk toward her, a huge smile breaking on his face.

She saw Inuyasha walk toward her. She smiled at him. She started to move to him when she saw it.

"INUYASHA! WATCH OUT!" she screamed.

She saw the arm stream at him and pierce through his back and out of his chest. He looked down to see it sticking out, his blood running down his front. He watched with a questioning look on his face and it started to disintegrate. He looked up at Kagome and saw his blood on her shirt.

"I'm sorry, Kagome..." He fell down as she caught him in her lap.

"NO! You can't take him from me! You can't!" She yelled.

But there was no one there to listen.

_Sango...Miroku...Shippou...Kirara_...she thought. All dead. _Inuyasha..._ She looked down at Inuyasha. He coughed. He was alive! She tenderly stroked his cheek, her tears mixing with his blood. He opened his eyes and looked up at her. He smiled. He reached up and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. A smear of red marred her otherwise perfect porcelain skin.

"Kagome...you did it. We won..." he said, coughing up more blood.

"We did. Don't speak anymore. We need to get you help. You'll be okay. You've been hurt like this before. We'll get you help and then you and I will be together and everything---" She stopped when he started another coughing fit.

"Kagome, I love you. Know that always..." He looked at her, tears running down his face. His hand fell from her face. His head turned away from him, and he was gone.

She frantically lifted his hand back up to her face. She turned his face up. His lifeless eyes gazed at the sky. She gathered him up in her arms and rocked his body. She turned her head to the sky and screamed, sobs racking her body.

She was so powerful now that in her heightened state of grief, she started to glow. A deep pink aura of purification energy surrounded her. She looked back down at him.

"I love you Inuyasha."

The aura around her grew into a circle surrounding her. She sobbed, and it grew more. She felt that she would die from heartache, and the circle exploded. It expanded to more than thirty miles in every direction, killing any youkai that it touched. It started to dissipate then, until it started getting weaker and weaker.

Sesshomaru walked through the forest, trying to find the source of incredible power that he felt in the air. Jaken was walking a ways ahead of the great demon lord when they saw a great wall of pink energy rushing their way. It hit Jaken and he disintegrated before Lord Sesshomaru's eyes. As it passed through him, the Lord of the Western Lands felt as if his entire body was in a vice. But he also felt a great sadness. It passed, and he recovered, as he was too powerful for the fading energy to truly affect him. He glanced to where Jaken had last stood. He stood for a moment. He had not seen this coming. He had never shown it, but he had begun to tolerate the little toad demon.

Then he continued in the direction of the power he sensed.


	4. Ch4 What's Left?

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or anyone else for that matter. Just borrowing them for my story!

Ch.4: What's left?

She sensed him before he appeared. He walked across the clearing and stopped before her. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. He looked at her.

"What has happened here?" He said.

"Naraku has been killed." She had cried all her tears out. She now sat as if in a trance, not moving, staring straight ahead of her.

"Where are your missing comrades?"

"They lie at the bottom of that cliff."

"What of Inuyasha? Does he still live?" For some reason, he could not sense if his half-brother was alive or not. _Perhaps the girl is shielding him somehow,_ he thought.

"He's dead. Everyone is dead."

She sat in front of him on the ground. Her eyes had lost their shine, and were now dull as the stones that scattered the area.

Sesshomaru looked down at Inuyasha. He knelt and laid a finger to his young brother's neck. He could not feel life in the body. He straightened and pulled out Tenseiga. As he watched his brother, he noticed that the sword did not pulse with its usual aura. It was then that he realized that he was too late, and Inuyasha's soul had already made its journey to the next world.

He looked back down at Kagome. He did not care for humans, but he had begun to respect the power that this one had. The human sitting in front of him was not the same. It was as if all life had left her, and all that was left was her body.

He pulled her to her feet. She did not fight him, as she would have at any other time. She stood there in front of him. He moved to guide her out of the clearing. He may not have liked his brother, but the laws of his people were that he was responsible for his brother's mate.

"No! We can't leave them...no" she cried. "Why can't I go with them?" She whispered.

"You will come with me, human." Sesshomaru stated.

"No! I can't leave them..." she sobbed, fresh tears streaming down her face. "What do I do? I can't leave them...just leave me here..." she said as she collapsed by Inuyasha. She caressed his face again, desperately hoping that by some miracle he would wake up. "Why can't we be together? Why can't I go with you?"

"They are dead, human. There is nothing you can do. You will accompany me to my castle in the West."

"Shut up! I'm not leaving them...they're all I have left...I have nothing if I don't have them, if I don't have Inu-" she cried as her voice caught.

In that moment she realized that they were really all gone and not coming back. They were lost to her forever. Silent tears rolled down her face.

"I have to bury them."

"Then do so."

"I need them to be close to me...if I go with you we must take them...I..." she stopped, sobs threatening to choke her again. "I need them close...I need them..." she hung her head. "Please." She whispered.

"Aun, come." In the sky the demon appeared and landed by its master. "Take their bodies home and place them in the garden." Sesshomaru said. He looked back at Kagome. "Come, human. It is time we left."

She looked around her, unable to move from this place. Full of death, yet precious, as it was the last place she had ever seen her friends alive.

He walked over to her. "I will not ask again, human."

She turned and looked at him. She had never thought about how much the two brothers had looked alike. Suddenly it was too painful a reminder of her lost love. She looked away quickly. She nodded, but was too exhausted and began to collapse. He caught her in his arms and looked down at her. _Stupid human_, he thought, and turned towards his home.


End file.
